USA TODAY's Grammy Awards red carpet gallery received the most page views of any Life section gallery and was third overall on the USA TODAY website for the year.
Taylor Swift, who wore Lorraine Schwartz jewels, dared to bare in a white J. Mendel dress with embroidered silver straps across the back and chest. She was an early winner, picking up a Grammy for the song she contributed to the 'Hunger Games' soundtrack, 'Safe and Sound.' Dan MacMedan, USA TODAY

Rihanna:
The winner for best short-form music video ('We Found Love') swished onto the red carpet in a custom-made Azzedine Alaia dress, which she paired with Neil Lane jewels and Manolo Blahnik heels. She walked the carpet sporting a flowing, long brown 'do with cascading curls and blond highlights. Dan MacMedan, USA TODAY

Beyonce: Always a fashion chameleon, Beyonce, who took home the Grammy for best traditional R and B performance for 'Love on Top,' opted for a black crepe jumpsuit with white panel detailing from OSMAN by Osman Yousefzada. A sleek ponytail, a pop of red on the lips and Swarovski's black rectangular Gemma clutch topped off the superstar's minimalist look. Dan MacMedan, USA TODAY

Katy Perry: Well, it looks as if the 'Firework' singer missed (or ignored) the memo about covering up egregious cleavage. She hit the carpet in a revealing sea-green gown by Gucci that featured a heavily embellished neckline. Although boyfriend John Mayer also hit the red carpet, Perry brought friend and 'Girls' star Allison Williams as her date. Dan MacMedan, USA TODAY

Adele:
The winner for best pop solo performance punched up her signature black in a major way, opting for a vibrant red, textured, floral-print dress by Valentino. The new mom kept mostly covered up in the long-sleeved, high-necked number, but she added some sass with a fun pair of matching floral-print shoes. Dan MacMedan, USA TODAY

Jennifer Lopez and Casper Smart:
Sorry, Casper, but when you're standing next to J.Lo, and she's in this dress, we don't think anyone's looking at you. Lopez stole the show in a black one-shoulder dress by Anthony Vaccarello with a dangerously high slit, a la Angelina Jolie at last year's Oscars. "They didn't say anything about leg!" she told E! on the red carpet. "I thought I was being such a good girl." Dan MacMedan, USA TODAY

Faith Hill and Tim McGraw:
The country-music power couple coordinated in black: his basic, hers not so much. Hill's J. Mendel dress featured a sheer bodice with sequins, beaded collar and sweetheart neckline, but the best part of her look? Those classic braces — no Invisalign here! Dan MacMedan, USA TODAY

Who says girls have to have all the fun with fashion? These guys stepped it up
a notch by forgoing the
standard tux. Justin Timberlake hit the red carpet in a chic Tom Ford tux, which he accessorized with catch-your-eye black-and-white penny loafers. Dan MacMedan, USA TODAY

Florence Welch: The Florence and the Machine frontwoman sparkled in a custom-made Givenchy ensemble, which included matching shoes and bag. "I'm pretty lucky," admits Welch to E! "I've worn Givenchy to every Grammys that I've ever been to. (Givenchy designer Riccardo Tisci) is such a genius, so this is wonderful." Jason Merritt, Getty Images

Kelly Rowland:
The singer carefully showed off some skin in a geometric Georges Chakra gown, which she paired with Lorraine Schwartz jewelry. "I almost broke the code," she said. "If I turn to the side, I might. I respect it. See? I wore clothes." She also dished on her Super Bowl performance with besties Beyonce and Michelle Williams. "I cannot begin to tell you how much fun that was," she said. "It was such a beautiful moment. I miss those moments with my sisters. It was hard to keep that damn secret!" Dan MacMedan, USA TODAY

Miguel:
The song of the year nominee chatted with MTV pre-show about his contribution to the revitalization of R and B. "When's the last time you had an R and B song up for song of the year? The presence of the genre in a more broad category, it means the world," he said. "I suppose now it's becoming the expectation that the music is more personal. The people who love R and B, that's what they love the music for. We're raising the bar. Not just me -- Frank Ocean and The Weeknd (too)." Robert Hanashiro, USA TODAY

Miranda Lambert:
The country star knew she was taking a risk with her floor-length blue Roberto Cavalli gown. "I know it's crazy to wear a dress with a train at the Grammys, people keep stepping on it," she says. And she assured that there was no risk of her violating the dress code. "I'm country, I wasn't going to exactly be having my cheeks hanging out." Dan MacMedan, USA TODAY

Esperanza Spalding:
The best jazz vocal album winner said she is wearing a "sustainable fashion"-style gown. "I just won! Tonight is especially exciting because my teacher won a Grammy, we co-won!" Her teacher, Thara Memory, in a wheelchair, was with her on the red carpet. "To be recognized on the world stage for this, it feels like something right was going on." She said she met her teacher when she was just 8 years old. Dan MacMedan, USA TODAY

LL Cool J: The Grammys host let MTV in on a little music history when he credited late Beastie Boys rapper Adam Yauch with getting his rap career started. "I didn't forget about MCA. Ad Rock of the Beastie Boys gave my demo to (producer) Rick Rubin." Dan MacMedan, USA TODAY

Jack White:
When it comes to being recognized, White said, "You take it for how it goes." Unfortunately, he added that no, the White Stripes will not be getting back together: "I wish, but no more." Dan MacMedan, USA TODAY

Bonnie Raitt:
"I'm so happy," said Raitt, who won in the American roots category for 'Slipstream.' "That's where my heart is. Americana covers so much of what I love and crosses generations." She added, "Acoustic music hasn't gone away." Dan MacMedan, USA TODAY

Nas:
The veteran hip-hopper was up for best rap album, which he lost to Drake, but the setback didn't get him down. "Life is great," he told MTV on the red carpet. As for the gradual inclusion of rap in the Grammy universe, Nas says it makes music even more aspirational for wannabe stars. "It just says that anybody can be what they want to be. I hope that it shows my homies back home, you can do whatever you want to do." Dan MacMedan, USA TODAY

Carly Rae Jepsen: "I chose it because I felt like a mermaid, like Ariel when she stepped out of the water for the first time," the 'Call Me Maybe' singer said of her beaded Roberto Cavalli gown. Did the dress code influence her? "No, not really, I was always going to play it pretty safe." Classic-with-a-twist Jerome C. Rousseau "Mikon" black patent peep toe mary janes completed the look. Dan MacMedan, USA TODAY

Chris Brown: "I'm fine. Little bit of bumps, but I'm good, though," Brown told E! of his day-before-Grammys car crash. "Paparazzi can tend to get out of hand." Looking cool, crisp and completely unfazed in an all-white ensemble by Lanvin, Brown said the awards show is "always a great and elegant place to be, so I'm happy to be here." Dan MacMedan, USA TODAY

Janelle Monae: "I pretty much do my own hair and makeup, but for the Grammys, I call on people that do it every day," says Monae. "Those are just jewels that I actually saw the manicurist wearing and I thought 'that's cool, let's try it out.' " Dan MacMedan, USA TODAY

Trey Songz:
The R&B star was decked out in head-to-toe Moschino, including an edgy pierced bow tie adorned with a hoop "earring." "I've never seen it either," he told the hosts of the official Grammys pre-show. "I thought it was cool, though!" Dan MacMedan, USA TODAY

Skrillex: The electronica producer -- and best dance/electronica album winner -- was the toast of the 2012 Grammys, and he said the buzz still hasn't worn off. "I thought I would get used to it, but I tripped over every word up there in my acceptance speech," he said. "I felt like I jumped in a pool of ice water." He arrives with Sirah. Dan MacMedan, USA TODAY

Marcus Mumford: The British rocker, left, hit the Grammys with his multi-nominated band Mumford & Sons and his actress wife Carey Mulligan, though she didn't get her picture taken. Dan MacMedan, USA TODAY

Ashanti: "It's kind of vintage, classy and sexy," the singer says of her Tony Ward gown. On the CBS memo about the Grammys dress code, she says, "I literally didn't get the memo, but I feel like I'm keeping it nice and classy." She was just cast in a role on Lifetime's 'Army Wives.' "It's a great part, but I will definitely use it as a platform for my music." Dan MacMedan, USA TODAY